Iron rack



Dec. 1, 1959 e. w.- FLEMING IRON RACK Filed April 24, 1958 George William Fleming 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent I IRON RACK George William Fleming, Miami, Fla.

Application April 24, 1958, Serial No. 730,695

3 Claims. (Cl. 248117.7)

This invention relates generally to attachments for ironing boards, and more particularly to an iron rack.

- In recent years with the advent of the steam iron, many persons now do most of their ironing at home and refrain from sending their clothing out to be ironed commercially. Therefore, there are many more irons in the home article ironed and picking up a new one. However, since most ironing boards are covered with some type of cloth material, if the iron were left in this position for an excessively long period of time, a fire was sure to start. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide an iron rack for supporting various types of irons on an ironing board and spaced thereabove, so that the iron may be left in position for any length of time without any danger whatsoever.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein means are provided to clamp the rack to the ironing board, these means being adjustable so that almost any type of ironing board whatsoever may have this rack firmly afiixed thereto.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a rack for irons of the character described wherein an upstanding hook is provided for accommodating the iron above the ironing board, and a small base is provided for placing the fiat portion of the iron thereon, if it is not desired to use the hook.

An even further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the iron supporting hook may be moved from an upstanding position to a horizontal position so that the rack is thereby easily adapted for storage and transportation purposes. The rack may thus be left on the ironing board at all times, since it is substantially flat upon the ironing board when the hook is moved to its horizontal position, and the rack takes up very little room.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein an electric outlet is provided so that the iron may be plugged into the outlet on the iron rack, without the necessity of bending over or moving furniture whenever it is desired to plug in the iron, as is the case with wall outlets.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

This invention contemplates the use of a housing having a pair of horizontal openings provided therethrough. Bowed, clamp legs in the form of rods are passed therethrough, and are locked in any given position by the action of the resiliency of the bowed rod acting upon the aligned openings. The ends of the clamp legs have U- shaped members thereon which may be used to grasp the 2,915,269 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 ice sides of an ironing board when the device is to be affixed thereto. The housing has two depending vertical tabs punched out of its top thereof, and an aligned opening is formed in each of the tabs, so that the horizontal lower end of the iron hook may be disposed therein. A washer is disposed on one end of this rod and a spring disposed between the washer and one of the tabs, to urge the rod away from a notch which is formed in a top of the housing and on the other end of the rod from the spring. The iron hook has a vertical portion which is afiixed to the end of the horizontal rod near where the notch is disposed, and an iron hook is disposed on the upper end thereof. A spring thus urges the vertical leg of the iron hook into the notch, whereby it is locked in the vertical position. However, it is to be noted that when it is desired to move the iron rack from the vertical position to a horizontal position where it will take up less room,'the vertical rod may be pulled out of the notch against the force of the spring, and then pivoted to a horizontal position. A pair of aligned vertical openings are provided through which a screw may be passed, so that the housing may be screwed to an ironing board when the ironing board clamps are not to be used.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the iron rack comprising the present invention, illustrating the same as connected to an ironing board, with the folded position of the iron hook being illustrated in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane defined by reference line 2-2 of Figure 1, illustrating in dotted lines a position of an iron on the iron hook, and resting upon the flat top of the housing;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane defined by reference line 33 of Figure 2, illustrating details of construction of the interior of the housing, with an intermediate position in the folding of the iron hook being illustrated in phantom lines;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane defined by reference line 4-4 of Figure 3 illustrating details of construction of the ironing boardclamps as they are disposed in the housing; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an attachment for holding an electric outlet to the iron rack.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the iron rack comprising the present invention. This iron rack is constructed of a housing 12 which is formed of substantially a single sheet of metal. This sheet of metal is bent so as to form an elongated substantially inverted U-shaped cross section housing, wherein a bight portion 14 is provided and acts as a top of the housing, and legs or sides 16 depend therefrom.

This housing 12 is the main portion of the rack, and all of the other parts are either formed therefrom or affixed thereto. About the medial portion of the housing 12 and horizontally formed through the sides 16 in align ment, are horizontal openings 18. These openings 18 are formed near the upper portions of the sides 16. A pair of ironing board clamps 20 are attached to the housing by means of the openings 18, and are afiixed to the sides of the ironing board. Each of the ironing board clamps 20, is constructed of an elongated reslient rod 22, which has a smooth continuous bow along the full length thereof, so that when the rod 22 is disposed in one pair of aligned openings 18, the action of the resilient bowed rod 22 upon the openings 18, will cause the rod to be locked in position within the housing, and move to the free edge thereof, which engage the undersurface.

of the ironing board, so that. the clamps 28 present a bowed middle portion where. the rod 22 is, for locking the clamps in any desired position, and an ironing board engaging portion which is composed. of the pieces 24 and 26 and the outer ends of rods 22.

The top or bight portion 14.0f housing 12, hasstruck out from the bight portion or top 14 of housing 12 two depending tabs 28 and 39, which have aligned horizontal openings 32 and 3-4- respectively formed therethrough. Iron accommodating means 36 are connected to the housing and project thereabove, as may be seen more clearly in Figure l. The iron accommodating means comprise a horizontally disposed rod 38 which projects through the aligned openings 32 and 34 and is rotatable therein. A Washer 40 is fixed to the end thereof as by soldering or the like and a coil spring 42 is disposed about the rod 38 and intermediate the tab 28 and washer 40, thus urging rod 38 to the left as viewed in Figure 3. A notch 44 is formed in one end of the top 14. near the tab 39. On the free end of rod 38, adjacent tab 30, is connected a normally vertical rod 46 connected at right angles.v to rod 38. This vertical rod 46 is normally engaged in notch 44 and resiliently held therein by means of spring 42. Connected to the free end of. vertical rod 46. is an iron accommodating hook 48, to which an iron'may be connected.

A bolt is disposed through top 14. and projects downwardly therefrom. An outlet attachment designated generally at 52, may be attached to the housing 12;, when it is desired to have an electrc outlet connection near the iron rack. This attachment is constructed of an elongated flat strap 54 which has a vertical threaded opening 56 formed therethrough. This strap 54 is designedtobe disposed within the housing 12 and at the bottom thereof, so that the threaded opening 56 may be aligned with bolt 58, and may be threadedly engaged thereby, thus urging the strap 54- up against. the bottom edges of tabs 28 and 39, \vhereoy the lower edges of the sides 16 of the housing will prevent the strap 54 from lateral movement. The rest of the attachment is constructed of the vertical member 58, connected to one end of strap 54, and a second member 60. which is connected to the free end of the vertical member 53, and parallel to strap 54. A female electric outlet 62 may be disposed within the clamp formed between portions 6%). and strap 54, and it may be firmly held therein by bending the member 60 downwardly toward strap 54, so that the female outlet 62 will be firmly held in position. It is to be noted that if the clamp portion of attachment 52 is to be disposed adjacent the notch 44, then there is sufficient space between the end of the housing andthe beginning of member 60, so that the vertical member 46 of the iron holding means 36 has sufficient clearance to be- Withdrawn from the notch, as maybe seen in phantom lines in Figure 3.

In use, the clamps 20 would be extended the full width, and with the housing 12 disposed on top of an ironing board, the clamps would be pushed together. They would thus be held in position because of the bow in the clamp legs 22. Then, as may beseen in dotted lines in Figure 2, the iron may either be placed fiat upon the top 14 of housing 12, or, as may be seen in phantom lines in Figure 2 may be hung upon the iron accommodating hook 48. In either case, it may be seen that a firm, steady, and very efiicient and practical iron rack has been thereby provided, which will prevent accidents which have been previously occurring with the use of irons. Although the conventional type of ironing board 68 is constructed of a metal or Wooden top 70, it is customary for these tops to have fabric coverings 72, with elastic bands on the inner edges as at 74, so that the cloth willbe firmly held to the ironing board. It is this cloth that is to be protected. While in many cases asbestos is used, it is found that it is very difficult to iron over asbestos and no matter what type of support is used beneath the clothing to be ironed, it has been found preferable that a cloth covering must be put thereover for the proper ironing. Thus, it will be seen that an extremely practical and etiicient device has been shown and described.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operaton shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of t e invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In an iron rack, an elongated hollow base adapted. to rest on an ironing board and having sides, a front end, and atop provided with a notch therein at said front end, means extending from said sides of the base for securing; the base to an ironing board, iron suspending means on. said base comprising a right angled member having a horizontal portion extending longitudinally into said baseand an upright terminally hooked iron suspending portion, means on said base journaling said horizontal portion for rotation whereby said upright portion is swingable downwardly into idle position, said horizontal portion being longitudinally slidable in said journaling means for movement of said upright portion inwardly of said front end and into said notch to lock said upright per tion upright, and spring means on said horizontal portion and in said base for yieldingly holding said upright portion in inwardly slid position.

2. The iron rack of claim 1 and said means extending from said sides for securing said base to an ironing board comprising a pair of resilient wire members extending from opposite sides of said base and terminally hooked to clampingly engage opposite sides of an ironing board, said sides of the base being provided with aligned apertures therein, and said wire members being slidably adjustably extended through said aligned apertures.

3. The iron rack of claim 1 wherein said journalingmeans include spaced tabs in said hollow base and having apertures therein, said horizontal portion of said angled member disposed in said apertures, and saidspring means reacting on one of said tabs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,642 Powell a Dec. 4, 1906 1,110,190 Dodge Sept. 8, 1914 1,489,925 Burner Apr. 8, 1924 

